There are three key rules to success that every aspiring restaurateur and hospitality professional should follow: clearly defined concept, location, and execution. This time I want to deal with the second key rule to success and turn it on its head… slightly.
As I continue to appreciate this beautiful time of year, I look to weekend dining opportunities away from the restrictions of air-conditioning and four walls, turning instead to venues that provide an outdoor option, in the sun and in the elements.
Inevitably, on any particular Friday, the discussion turns to brunch, and as such I am constantly seeking out new brunches to experience throughout the region.
The reason I bring this up is most recently, on several projects, we have been looking to what does and doesn’t work among current brunch offerings and what we can do better. I am going to leave big hotel all-day dining brunches out of this conversation simply because they have secured their place in the Middle East scene and serve their purpose well (though it can’t just be me who wonders what happens to all the food after the buffet is finished?)
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This is more targeted to the smaller, independent, standalone outlets. What can we be doing to improve our brunch offerings?
It’s fair to say that there is a mild evolution taking place in the brunch sector. One of my favorite options now is the food-delivered-to-your-table brunch. This is where you are given a menu and can choose anything you want from it, and can re-order dishes over and over again if you so choose.
This has its good and challenging points for operations, the first of which is timing. I have had one experience recently where we ordered six dishes off the menu and sat back to enjoy a leisurely afternoon. All the food arrived within five minutes of ordering and we were ready to leave in 45 minutes — it was not quite the experience we were looking for.
Secondly, preparation: to deliver on the promise of ‘order what you like and as much as you like’, how much preparation and mise en place is required in the kitchen to deliver on that expectation? There is a happy medium to be met here, one that does not cater to those craving excess, but rather to those who are out to enjoy their Friday afternoon with friends and family, not rush, and more importantly not feel rushed.
How about this? When you arrive for brunch you are given a menu purely of breakfast options — a good eggs benedict, pancakes and pastries for example. You place your order and enjoy. Following which you are given a menu of purely cold and hot appetizers, once again to be ordered and shared. And then finally a menu of mains to be shared and desserts to follow.
Hear me out... what exactly does this achieve? One, minimal wastage, leading to a better bottom line. Second, the customers choose the pace of their brunch experience, leading to better guest satisfaction. And three, outlet flexibility on menu offering, leading to greater choice and variety and more repeat business.
All we are doing is giving the guests choice, making it simpler for the kitchen, controlling the amount of food consumed and allowing it to take place at an even pace.
PS: can it please start at 11am?
Duncan Fraser-Smith is the founder of The Cutting Edge Agency, which specialises in developing and creation of benchmark F&B concepts through conceptualisation and training, as well as sourcing and partnering with international brands and high profile chefs to successfully establish their presence in the Middle East. Visit: www.thecuttingedgeagency.com for more information.
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